New Delhi (TIP)- Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, Nov 14, said the copy of the Constitution displayed by him during public meetings appeared blank to Prime Minister Narendra Modi because “he has never read it”.
Addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar, the senior Congress leader said the Constitution is the soul of India and reflects the values championed by national icons like Birsa Munda, BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. “The BJP has objections to the red colour of the book,” Rahul said, referring to the red-covered Constitution he has been displaying at rallies. “But we don’t care if it’s red or blue. We are committed to safeguarding it, even if we have to lay down our lives for it. Modiji thinks the Constitution I carry is blank because he has never read it,” Gandhi said. “But Modiji, this book is not empty. It carries the soul and wisdom of India. It enshrines the values of national heroes like Birsa Munda, Buddha, Mahatma Phule, Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. If you call this book empty, you insult these icons,” the Lok Sabha LoP added.
Rahul said the Congress party was committed to ensuring that adivasis (tribals), Dalits and backward classes have a larger role in the nation’s decision-making processes. He criticised the BJP and RSS for referring to adivasis as “vanvasis” (forest dwellers), instead of the more appropriate “adivasis” (original inhabitants), a term he said better represented their rights and heritage.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments about the constitution while addressing a rally in Nandurbar, saying that the real fight today is to protect India’s constitution. Speaking at the ‘Maharashtra Swabhiman Sabha’ in the tribal district, Gandhi alleged that describing the constitution as blank pages was an insult to great leaders like Birsa Munda, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule.
Gandhi promised that if the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) forms the government, it will conduct a caste census in Maharashtra to determine the representation of tribal, scheduled caste and OBC communities in government. He also announced plans to remove the 50% cap on reservations.
At the rally, attended by Congress Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala and local candidates, Gandhi outlined several MVA schemes. “Women under the Mahalaxmi scheme will get Rs 3,000 Khatakhat. Women will get free bus travel. Farmers will get farm loan waivers up to Rs 3 lakh. Farmers will also get guaranteed prices for soybean, cotton and other crops. MVA will conduct a caste survey and find out the true number of ST and others. MVA will give you Rs 25 lakh health insurance,” said Gandhi.
Gandhi also criticised the RSS-BJP’s stance on tribal communities. “BJP calls you Vanvasi (those who stay in jungle). But constitution says you are Adivasi, meaning first residents of India, first owners of India. Whether it’s Jal, Jungle and Jamin, Adivasi has first right. Birsa Munda fought with the British who deprived the Adivasis from rights. RSS-BJP has same mindset as the British,” Gandhi said.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule has criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party’s current leadership, stating that “BJP 2.0” lacks the cultural refinement of its predecessor, particularly targeting Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while promising transparent administration under a future Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Speaking at a campaign rally in support of MVA candidate Sandeep Naik, who recently defected from the BJP to contest the Belapur constituency, Sule expressed dismay over an alleged audio recording of BJP MLA Manda Mhatre using inappropriate language. Mhatre, a former NCP member, has denied the authenticity of the recording.